Winchester

Winchester's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure.

The population reached nearly 120,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Winchester increased by 8.7%, from just over 107,000 to 117,000.

The addition of just under 9,400 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Winchester was home to, on average, 1.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres). This made it the South East's third-least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Rise in private renting

Census 2011 data also show a housing tenure change in Winchester.

The percentage of households in Winchester that rented privately increased from 10% in 2001 to 14% in 2011.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage of Winchester households that owner their home decreased from 70% to 68%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Winchester increased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Winchester, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Winchester residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 5.9% to 3.4% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (86%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 75% in 2001. The percentage of Winchester residents that described their health as fair decreased from 19% to 11%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Winchester decreased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Winchester, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Winchester

The number of people in Winchester from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 100,000 in 2001 to about 110,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 98% to 96%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Winchester from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 1,100 in 2001 to about 2,600 in 2011 (from 1.0% to 2.3%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 710 to just over 1,600 (from 0.7% to 1.4%).

About 460 people (0.3%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 270 in 2001 (0.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Winchester decreased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Winchester by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Winchester

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Winchester, but at a slower rate than across England.

In Winchester, the proportion of single people increased from 28% in 2001 to 30% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30% to 35%.

Across the South East, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 29% to 32%.

The proportion of married people in Winchester fell from 55% to 53%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 9.2% to 10%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Winchester working less than 16 hours increased from 2.5% to 3.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 16% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Winchester increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Winchester, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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